There have been many different structures proposed for splitting logs, some horizontal, some vertical, some driven by hydraulic mechanism and some driven by mechanical mechanism. Usually the mechanical mechanism has involved a fixed abutment and a pusher blade movable along a horizontal track, or beam by means of crank arms or pitman, to push the movable blade through the fixed log for splitting.
Exemplary of such devices are U.S. Pat. No. Re. 13221 to Power of Mar. 21, 1911, U.S. Pat. No. 1,231,525 to Hauberg of June 26, 1917, U.S. Pat. No. 1,666,795 to Schmidt of Aug. 17, 1928, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,446,585 to Hanners of Aug. 10, 1948.
Log splitting mechanisms using a horizontal track, or beam, a fixed blade at one end of the beam and a log pushing carriage movable toward the blade by hydraulic mechanism are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,864 to Spanenberg of Oct. 25, 1966, U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,854 to Worthington of Sept. 25, 1973 and many other patents.
While all of the log splitting devices of these, and other patents, probably perform their function adequately, the types which have reached the present day market appear to be relatively costly, slow moving and subject to breakage under continual use.